Navigating Maternity Leave In Austria: Understanding Your Rights

In Austria, maternity leave is funded through the Austrian social insurance system, with childcare allowance part-funded by employers, taxes and public health insurance. While the Austrian parental leave legislation provides benefits to freelance, marginally employed, self-employed, and unemployed mothers, their benefits are flat rates or percentages of unemployment benefits that may not cover all needs. IBFAN cites the dissolution of the Austrian Breastfeeding Commission and healthcare provider recommendations of early introduction of solid foods as primary reasons for this low rate. They recommend extending the duration of maternity leave to 18 weeks in order to enable the mother to exclusively breastfeed for a longer period.

Maternity leave in Austria is currently 18 weeks

Paid maternity leave is funded through the Austrian social insurance system, and childcare allowance is part-funded by employers, taxes and public health insurance. However, this is just one of many funding options. Evidence shows that maternity leave results in many benefits for women and babies. Evidence from other case studies shows that paid maternity leave, together with other key interventions to support breastfeeding, can have a positive impact on breastfeeding outcomes.

In Austria, virtually all eligible mothers (93-96%) took up parental leave since 2010. A much smaller number of fathers take paternal leave, but this can be as high as 30%. On any of the four flat-rate childcare benefit options, a parent may additionally earn 60% of the income they earned in the calendar year prior to the child's birth or at least €16,200 a year. For the earnings-related option, additional earnings may not exceed €6,400 a year.

Mothers receive the equivalent of their average income during the last 13 weeks before the absolute employment prohibition

In Austria, mothers receive the equivalent of their average income during the last 13 weeks before the absolute employment prohibition. This is a benefit that is available to employed mothers, who are able to receive their average income from their employment.

Freelance workers receive an income-based maternity benefit, while marginally employed self-insured women receive a flat-rate payment. Self-employed women (traders and farmers) are eligible for financial or other support to maintain their businesses as a form of maternity benefits, but if no operational support is granted, they can also claim a flat-rate payment.

The Austrian parental leave legislation provides benefits to freelance, marginally employed, self-employed, and unemployed mothers. However, their benefits are flat rates or percentages of unemployment benefits that may not cover all needs as compared to employed mothers.

On any of the four flat-rate childcare benefit options, a parent may additionally earn 60 per cent of the income they earned in the calendar year prior to the child's birth or at least €16,200 a year. For the earnings-related option, additional earnings may not exceed €6,400 a year. Childcare benefit is funded from the FLAF.

IBFAN cites the dissolution of the Austrian Breastfeeding Commission and healthcare provider recommendations of early introduction of solid foods as primary reasons for this low rate. They recommend extending the duration of maternity leave to 18 weeks in order to enable the mother to exclusively breastfeed for a longer period.

Freelance workers receive an income-based maternity benefit

In Austria, freelance workers receive an income-based maternity benefit. This is based on the average income they earned in the calendar year prior to the child's birth. This is one of many funding options, as maternity leave is funded through the Austrian social insurance system, and childcare allowance is part-funded by employers, taxes and public health insurance.

The Austrian parental leave legislation provides benefits to freelance, marginally employed, self-employed, and unemployed mothers. However, their benefits are flat rates or percentages of unemployment benefits that may not cover all needs as compared to employed mothers that receive their average income from their employment. Marginally employed self-insured women receive a flat-rate payment, and self-employed women (traders and farmers) are eligible for financial or other support to maintain their businesses as a form of maternity benefits. If no operational support is granted, they can claim a flat-rate payment.

There is a political desire to prioritise maternity leave and allocate resources, as evidence shows that maternity leave results in many benefits for women and babies. Evidence from other case studies shows that paid maternity leave, together with other key interventions to support breastfeeding, can have a positive impact on breastfeeding outcomes.

Self-employed women are eligible for financial or other support to maintain their businesses

In Austria, self-employed women are eligible for financial or other support to maintain their businesses as a form of maternity benefits. This is in addition to the four flat-rate childcare benefit options, where a parent may additionally earn 60% of the income they earned in the calendar year prior to the child's birth or at least €16,200 a year. For the earnings-related option, additional earnings may not exceed €6,400 a year.

Self-employed women can also claim a flat-rate payment if no operational support is granted. This is in contrast to employed mothers, who receive the equivalent of their average income during the last 13 weeks before the absolute employment prohibition, with no ceiling cap. Marginally employed self-insured women also receive a flat-rate payment.

Austria's parental leave legislation provides benefits to freelance, marginally employed, self-employed, and unemployed mothers. However, their benefits are flat rates or percentages of unemployment benefits that may not cover all needs compared to employed mothers who receive their average income from their employment.

The Austrian social insurance system funds paid maternity leave, and childcare allowance is part-funded by employers, taxes and public health insurance.

Childcare benefit is funded from the FLAF

The Austrian parental leave legislation provides benefits to freelance, marginally employed, self-employed, and unemployed mothers. However, these benefits are flat rates or percentages of unemployment benefits that may not cover all needs. Employed mothers receive the equivalent of their average income during the last 13 weeks before the absolute employment prohibition, with no ceiling cap. Marginally employed self-insured women receive a flat-rate payment. Self-employed women (traders and farmers) are eligible for financial or other support to maintain their businesses as a form of maternity benefits, but if no operational support is granted, they can claim a flat-rate payment.

On any of the four flat-rate childcare benefit options, a parent may additionally earn 60% of the income they earned in the calendar year prior to the child's birth or at least €16,200 a year. For the earnings-related option, additional earnings may not exceed €6,400 a year.

IBFAN cites the dissolution of the Austrian Breastfeeding Commission and healthcare provider recommendations of early introduction of solid foods as primary reasons for the low rate of exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of an infant's life in Austria. They recommend extending the duration of maternity leave to 18 weeks to enable the mother to exclusively breastfeed for longer.

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